AVB insists he can improve Spurs' form

Andre Villas-Boas is under pressure after the 5-0 thumping from Liverpool

Andre Villas-Boas insists he is the right man to lead Tottenham up the table despite Sunday's humiliating defeat to Liverpool.

Luis Suarez bagged a brace while Raheem Sterling, John Flanagan and Jordan Henderson also got on the scoresheet as Liverpool hammered Spurs 5-0.

The Tottenham fans who had not made for the exits by the final whistle booed their team off. A handful called for his head.

There was no snap decision from the Spurs board immediately after the match.

Despite rumours to the contrary, Villas-Boas was not sacked on Sunday night, and there was no sign of the 36-year-old walking out on Spurs either.

Asked whether he feared for his job, the Tottenham manager said: "The call to make that decision is not mine, because obviously I won't resign and I'm not a quitter.

"The only thing I can do is work hard with the players to get them back on track.

"This is a top-four squad but in our Premier League form we are not there."

It was the worst home defeat of Villas-Boas' reign. Defensively, Spurs were a real mess.

Michael Dawson's lack of pace was exposed by Suarez's brilliance and the masterful trickery of Henderson, while Etienne Capoue - who performed so well at centre-half in the last two games - was dragged out of position several times.

Sterling and Philippe Coutinho had fun toying with Kyle Naughton - the right-back asked to fill in on the opposite side of defence following an injury to Danny Rose.

"Obviously I won't resign...I'm not a quitter." - Villas-Boas

Villas-Boas maintains he has s squad capable of making the top four despite the hammering, although his explanation was somewhat baffling.

"It's not the points tally that's the problem, it's the expression of the results," said Villas-Boas, whose side are five points off fourth.

"It's the second expressive scoreline that we've suffered in the season, and we admit that in the Premier League things aren't going in any shape or form the way we want.

"All of us had high expectations for this season, we still have them.

"Again I repeat that we are not far off, but the distance is increasing for those Champions League spots.

"And because of the expressive result it makes it even more difficult for us to bounce back."

Villas-Boas has an unlikely backer last night in his predecessor Harry Redknapp.

"I think people are overreacting too quickly," he told talkSPORT.

"You lose a couple of games now and you're in trouble, it shouldn't be like that.

"It's far too early for people to start wanting to pull the plug on him, you've got to give him time and see what he can do."

Brendan Rodgers also gave his backing to Villas-Boas before lavishing praise on his team, and on Luis Suarez - who captained the Reds for the first time.

The Liverpool manager said: "This is a guy who has captained one of the most iconic clubs in European football in Ajax, so it's nothing new to him.

"I wanted to have someone who could represent me and the club in that tunnel, before even stepping on the pitch.

"When Luis Suarez has the armband on ready to go out, everyone knows this is a team ready to fight."